Twelve Roses
by bloodied.bullet666
Summary: Kakashi leaves for a dangerous mission, leaving Iruka with twelve roses and his heart. Kakashi x Iruka.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or any of the characters of said book. The only thing I own is the compilation after this. Also, this idea is from the icon, which you can see on my profile, and Lunacat13. Thank you for giving me this idea. You're a wonderful person.

Twelve Roses

Chapter One: Roses

I stared up at the silver haired jounin, confused.

"Wah?" His eye crinkled up, signaling his trademark smile, and held his hand out, which was holding a bouquet of vibrant red roses.

"I got you roses. Couldn't you seem a little happier?" My eyes focused on them before blurring, giving me telltale signs of me about to burst into tears.

"You're going on a mission, aren't you?" I clutched onto his vest, tears over spilling. "A really dangerous one, right?! Why are you giving me roses as if…as if…." I broke off, trying to swallow the sobs that threatened to bubble out. His hands eased around my waist, forgetting about the roses for a mere second.

"I…..I'm sorry, Iruka." His face buried into my hair. "I don't want to go either…but it's Hokage-sama's orders. I must go." I sniffled, whining in the back of my throat.

"I know that! I know that you're a respected jounin but why you?! Why…why not….Genma….or…or…Asuma?! Why you?!" I glared wistfully at the red roses still held in his grip. "….And why are you giving me roses….?" He sighed wistfully before planting a masked kiss to my forehead.

"I wanted you to have one last thing before I left….seeing as how I'm not going to be here for your birthday." That sent an odd twinge of pain into my stomach. "And I wanted you…to know that you'll have my heart till the last one dies." I stared up at him horrified.

"But that's only about a week or two!!!" Tears threatened to overflow again. His smile was critical.

"I guess that means you need to care for them for as long as you possibly can, right?" Another brisk masked kiss before he was gone, swirling air and snow left in his wake. I swallowed the tears, grabbed the dropped roses, and slumped into the house to look for the perfect vase.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two: Day One

"Ino-chan…." The blonde jumped and turned to me, stirring up a mist of snow.

"Iruka-sensei! What brings you to my shop?" I shrugged, staring at the vases of roses on the counter.

"I…need to know how to care for roses….." Her aquamarine eyes widened.

"Oh, well, sensei. Why didn't you just tell me from the start? Why don't I come over and show you later tonight?" I felt a soft twinge of respect.

"Ah, no no! You don't have to!" She laughed, completely carefree.

"Sensei…it's fine with me. I'll bring the supplies and I'll show you how to care for those roses, okay?" I shrugged. "Okay. I'll meet you after the Academy is released. Which is….?"

"Ah…erm…I get home at five…." She smiled widely.

"Then that settles it. I'll be there at quarter after five. Meet you then, Iruka-sensei!" I sighed and walked towards the academy, breath coming out in puffs.

Xxx

"Ino! Come in." I ushered her in out of the cold. "Here, let me take some of these." I grabbed the potting soil and walked into the kitchen. "The roses are in the kitchen…." Ino walked after me and I caught her staring at some of the pictures of Kakashi and me.

"I didn't know that you and Kakashi-sensei were close." I blushed, thinking of how close we really were.

"Ah…yes. We are very good friends." Her eyebrow raised but she said nothing of it.

"There they are." Her eyes widened.

"Ooh. Sensei! Who gave you these?! They're beautiful." She stared at me curiously as I carefully maneuvered them to the table.

"Um…..Ka…Kakashi-sensei did…." She gave me a quizzical look.

"Ano….Sensei….but are you…and Kakashi-sensei…you know…." She glanced around, as if to make sure nobody was close enough to hear. "A thing?" My eyes widened before a light blush sprinkled over my nose. I scratched my scar. I wasn't sure if I should tell her or not. Don't get me wrong, I knew Ino was far past the gossiping brat she was in her Academy years, but I still worried if she would tell her closest friends, who were the biggest gossipers in the town. Plus, I didn't know if Kakashi would want people to know. I glanced back to her and decided to tell her the truth.

"Yes, Ino. We're a 'thing'. And before you go and tell your gossiping little friends everything, Kakashi will not like it if this gets out." I sighed, glad to get the honorific off of his name. It just didn't sound right coming out of my mouth. Her shocked expression melted into one of curiosity and happiness.

"Sensei, that's great!" I smiled softly. "So, tell me the whole story of the roses. Were they some romantic secret gift for a night of pleasure? Or just something he does normally?" My smile faltered and her brows furrowed.

"Neither. He…had to go on a mission….a really dangerous one and he wasn't sure if he was going to make it back…..so he said that as long as the roses were alive, I had his heart. Then he left." I burrowed my face into my hands, trying to compose myself. Her arms wrapped around me and I glanced up to the roses. "Ino….how long do roses usually last?" She sighed.

"With the proper care, at least…two to three weeks." I sighed.

"That's what I thought. Well, then you better show me how to properly take care of these damned things." She smiled and stood, grabbing the vase that she had brought.

"Always make sure that the water is up to this line……." I listened attentively to everything that came out of her mouth.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three: Day Eight**

**I rushed to the kitchen, plant food in hand.**

"**Hello there, beauties. How are you this fine- No!" I stared in horror at the one rose in the back that was having telltale signs of wilting. Deeper in color then before, drooping slightly….I picked it up, looking to see if any of the leaves on the underside had started to wilt. Yes. There it was. The brown dryness signaling that the flower was beginning to die. I leaned against the counter, clutching the flower to my chest and let the tears slide down my cheeks. "No. Please. Not yet. Please, oh, please, no." I clutched onto the rose a little harder, careful not to squish the precious bud. "…Ino-chan…!" I put the rose back in the vase before rushing to the door, not caring that I was still in my pajamas, grabbed my coat, and rushed out the door.**

**Xxx**

"**Ino-chan! Ino-chan! Please open up!!!" I slammed my fist over and over again against the door, rattling the window.**

"**I'm coming, I'm coming!" The door opened to reveal a roused blonde, clutching onto the edge of her robe. "Sensei?!" I held back my tears, taking in a deep breath.**

"**I-It's the roses! I think one of them is dieing! You've got to help me!" Her eyes widened before she ushered me inside, mumbling about early mornings.**

"**Give me a second to get dressed and get some stuff. You….." She glanced about the cluttered room. "Just stand there." She shuffled off. I bounced on my toes, anxious to get back to them. **

"**Ino! Please try to hurry a little!" A door slammed and she slouched out of the room, shooting me a small glare.**

"**Iruka-sensei, the flower won't die in the few minutes it takes me to get over there." It almost sounded like she was reprimanding me but I thought nothing of it, more worried about the roses then the words coming out of her mouth.**

"**No, you don't understand! If you don't help it, then that's one less flower I have. Meaning one less day for me to have Kakashi's heart! I….I just can't bear the thought of losing him….." Tears blurred my vision but I wiped them away furiously. "Now, will you hurry up or not? Those roses won't wait all day." I stood a little straighter and I saw a flash of admiration in her aquamarine eyes.**

"**Yes, sensei. Right away." She gathered her things before rushing out the door after me, calling for me to wait.**

**Xxx**

"**You see, sensei. There's nothing I can do. The rose is dieing……I tried everything I could possibly think off….but none of it worked. I really am sorry." My eyes stared at the hardheaded rose.**

"**Eleven more roses……what am I going to do when those ones disappear too?" I looked up at her, seeking the answer.**

"…**.Well…..you could just buy more roses…..Kakashi-sensei will never know the difference." I laughed.**

"**Oh, he'd know. Some way or another, he'd know. There would be some kind of blemish on one of the roses that his didn't have or something. …..Plus….it's just not the same. These are from Kakashi……they were a gift from him. Not from me. That's why they're so important." Ino nodded.**

"**I understand…..We'll keep them alive for as long as possible, okay?" Her face lit up with a smile and I couldn't help but smile back, if not in spite of myself.**

**Xxx**

**I stared up at the stars that speckled the night sky. "Where are you at, Kakashi? Are you safe?" My breath fogged up the window and I ran my finger through it. "Are you warm?" I slumped down into my covers, making sure to fluff up my pillow before laying back on it. "Well, where ever you are, I love you. And nothing can change that." I rolled over and closed my eyes, wishing wistfully for a good nights sleep.**


	4. Chapter 4

**Sorry it's so short of a chapter. I'll try to make it up to you in the next chapters.**

**Chapter Four: Day Thirteen**

**Four roses had already died and I was scared to walk into my kitchen to see which one had died during the night. Sure enough, as I stepped foot into the kitchen, I saw the abomination of my once red rose. It sagged, no more petals, and darkened to almost a black. The petals lay scattered on the table and it took all my strength to not start screaming right then. But there was still one perfectly good rose in the bunch of dieing ones. I picked said rose up, smelling the sweet fragrance. It smelled like a rose and it looked like a rose…but there was something off by it….something strange. I held it out to look closer and there it was. A slight ripple in the air gave away a genjutsu. Why I hadn't noticed it earlier, I'll never know. Maybe I was just to engrossed in keeping them alive. …..Or maybe the person who cast the genjutsu couldn't hold it up any longer. I sure hope it wasn't the latter. **

**I concentrated all my chakra in my palm to disperse the jutsu and let it go. In the jutsu's wake, was a fake rose. A vibrant red rose whose petals were made of cloth and whose smell was a perfume. Tears sprung to my eyes and I had to lean against the table to keep from falling to my knees. His words echoed in my mind "…have my heart till the last one dies.." And here, this rose will never die. I nearly fainted with happiness. "Kakashi…." The tears finally leaked out and ran down my cheeks, settling on the rose like dewdrops. "Oh, Kakashi…." I sobbed, clutching onto the rose with all my strength.**

"**Iruka-sensei! Iruka-sensei! Open up!" I snapped out of my trance, wiped the tears away, put the rose down after a moments thought, and rushed to the door. **

"**Ino-chan?" She leaned against my doorframe, frowning.**

"**They're back." My heart leapt. Kakashi. My Kakashi is home. "Without Kakashi." And just like that, my heart deflated. My Kakashi wasn't home. His teammates were….but he wasn't. What did that mean? Was….he….dare I say it…..dead? **

**Xxx**

"**Yamato-san! What happened?!" I looked at the badly bruised ninja in front of me.**

"**You'll have to talk to him once he's recovered, Iruka-sensei." I stuttered, staring at the pink haired medic.**

"**But I nee-!" Her jade eyes narrowed at me.**

"**Once he's recovered. That's final." I stared after her, dismayed, as she walked away with my only hope of ever finding out what happened to my dear love.**


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: Okay, I tried and tried to make this NOT bolded and underlined, but for some reason, Fanfiction likes to torture me and MAKE it bolded and underlined. If you have any suggestions as HOW to make it stop, please tell me. And, I'm sorry if it isn't all that wonderful, seeing as how this is my third time writing this chapter, I'm just a little exasperated with it. So, enjoy! And please review! Thanks! **

**Disclaimer: I do not own ANY of these characters. The characters belong to Masashi Kishimoto.**

**Chapter Five: Day Fifteen**

**I stood at the registration desk, giving the pink haired girl in front of me the best glare I could manage.**

"**Iruka-sensei, you can stop glaring at me." She answered without even looking up. "I won't let you back to see Tenzou." I growled.**

"**Sakura, I am your elder, you have to let me back there." Her jade eyes shot up to look into my now wide hazel eyes.**

"**I don't care if you **_**are**_** my elder, Iruka-sensei. **_**I **_**am the elder here and I'm not about to let you back there so I can lose my position." She picked up her files, still glaring at me. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have work to do." She began to walk away, leaving me with a sinking feeling in my chest. She stopped a few feet away. "By the way, Iruka-sensei, you're not the only one worrying about him, so don't take it all on yourself." And with that, she walked away, leaving me to stare after her, dumbstruck.**__

**Xxx**

"**Teuchi, I'll have one miso ramen with pork." Teuchi smiled and turned around, giving the order to Ayame, his daughter.**

"**Coming right up!" She beamed at me before going to work.**

"**Oi, having a bad day, Iruka-sensei? You look a little blue today." I looked over to the special jounin, who I just noticed.**

"**Ah, Genma-san. I didn't see you there." He rolled the senbon around his mouth before smiling slightly.**

"**You're worried about Hatake, aren't you?" I raised a brow.**

"**Yes, I'm worried about **_**Kakashi." I provided extra emphasis on his name. He waved it away.**_

"_**There's no need to worry. He'll come back…sooner or later." My head drooped, loose strands of hair framing my face.**_

"_**Yea, I know." Genma chuckled.**_

"_**It's not like Hatake would want to come back in a body bag, not with you waiting for him." I snapped my gaze up at him, angered at his words.**_

"_**What do you mean by that?!" Genma's gaze ran over my face, taking in my angered features.**_

"_**What? Everybody knows about you two. Who couldn't? The way you two ogle each other all the time. Hell, every time Kakashi walks into the mission room, his eyes are immediately all over you." I paused, relishing the words. Kakashi checked me out. Everytime he went into the mission room. His words sent a warmth through my body that hadn't been there since Kakashi left.**_

"_**One miso ramen with pork." Teuchi slammed the bowl down in front of me, grinning.**_

"_**Ah, thank you, Teuchi. It looks delicious." I smiled up at the man before looking back to where Genma sat. All that was left was his half empty bowl and ryo left on the table. "Sneaky bastard." But as I said those words, a grin lit up my face. He had left me some hope. Hope that Kakashi was coming home. I tore into the ramen with new vigor, happily humming while I ate.**_

_**Xxx**_

_**My happiness was short lived for as soon as I stepped up to my door, ANBU was waiting for me. **_

"_**Umino Iruka. May we come inside." I gulped, nodding my head, afraid to use my voice. I unlocked the door and ushered them inside. **_

"_**Um….come into the kitchen. I'll make us some tea." They followed me with eerie quietness.**_

"_**There's no need for tea, we'll be gone in a few minutes." I nodded and sat down, awaiting for what they were going to say.**_

"_**Hokage has ordered us to go look for Hatake Kakashi." My gaze snapped up to the mask. Her voice….**_

"_**Rin? Is that you?" She reached up and pulled her ANBU mask off, staring at me with warmth.**_

"_**I'll bring Kakashi back for you, sensei. I promise." My eyes widened before filling with tears. **_

"_**Thank you, Rin." She smiled before disappearing with her partner. "Thank you so much, my friends. Thank you." I tilted my head up, smiling through my tears.**_


	6. Chapter 6

A/N: Sorry, it took me forever! I feel bad, but I had school projects and I was sick half of that time. Forgive me!

Disclaimer: I do not own any of these characters.

Chapter Six: Seventeen

I stared down at the fake rose clutched in my grip. Two days ago, Anbu set out to find Kakashi. One day ago, they pronounced Kakashi missing. Today, the Anbu were supposed to come back, hopefully with Kakashi in tow.

"Iruka-sensei!!! Open up!!!" I jumped and glared at the door. "I'm gonna take you out for a little while!!" I stood, unlocked the door, and opened it, allowing a beaming Ino to bounce in. "Come on, come on! Let's go shopping!" I shoved the door shut and walked towards the living room.

"Can't Ino. I have to wait for the Anbu." Ino's smile disappeared and she glared at the nearby wall.

"Yea…well…You could always go shopping with me. I'll get you back before they get here. Promise." I sighed and deflated.

"Ino, I'm a guy. I don't like shopping." She stared at me quizzically.

"Eh?! But you're a _gay_ guy! Gay guys love shopping." I choked on my own spit, surprised that she was bold enough to call her elder an outright insult.

"Ino!" She giggled into her hand, blush scattered lightly over her nose.

"Sorry, Iruka-sensei. I didn't mean any insult to it, just stating facts." I deadpanned, staring at her with dull eyes.

"Whatever. Come in while I get dressed." She squealed a little before letting herself in and plopping herself down on the couch, smiling all the way. "What?" She shrugged.

"I don't know. I've just never imagined me going shopping with my old sensei."

"_Old_ sensei?! I'll have you kn-!" I defended myself but before the whole sentence could get out, Naruto burst through the door.

"Iruka-sensei! They're back! They're back!" My legs felt like they gave way, but I stepped forward, gripping my former student's shoulders and shaking him gently.

"Already?! Where at?! Do they have Kakashi?!" Naruto, being too eager to answer, only jumped up and down, pulling me out the door, Ino following.

"Hurry up, sensei!" Not needing to be told twice, I ran down the street, not caring if I looked like a total mad man in my night clothes.

Xxx

"Kakashi?!" I stopped, staring at the gray-haired jounin who was being half carried by one of the ANBU. The gray haired jounin, who was battered, dirty, and his uniform was ripped quite a few times, glanced up, smiled, and gave me a peace sign. He had come back alright. Well, mostly alright. I blinked away the tears before running toward him and hugging him.

"Iruka. I missed you." I looked up at him, eyes glazed over with tears.

"Don't you _ever _do that to me again! You hear me?!" He nodded, suddenly sheepish. "Good." And with that, I kissed him, listening to everyone's cheers and screams.


End file.
